68 Million Reasons Newell's Will Not Be Doing Any Buying

68 Million Pesos. That is the final figure that Newell's Old Boys are reporting as the debt that former president/dictator Eduardo Lopez left the club in, give or take a few minor adjustments.

Could Bogho find his way back to Newell's?

That said, management is still looking for a solution to the biggest problem with the current team, the lack of a reliable goal scorer up front. Last season La Lepra had both Joaquín Boghossian, and Cristian Nuñez, both surprisingly good number 9s. Boghossian racked up 17 goals in 34 matches, while Nuñez scored 5 in 22, mostly as a second half substitute. Both players, however, were only with the team on loan, and at the end of the season Nuñez returned to Boca Unidos in the Primera B Nacional after a deal with Quilmes fell through due to an injury. Meanwhile, Cerro of Uruguay, who had loaned Boghossian to Newell's, decided the time was right to sell the big man to a team in Europe, namely Red Bull Salzburg. I have heard rumors that Bogho would be interested in returning to Newell's, but no matter how interested he may be, the club does not have the money to bring him back, not even on a loan... well, unless Salzburg decides that such a deal might somehow benefit them in some other way.

And, of course, Newell's are missing more than just a 9 who can score. Last season they also had Paraguayan Jorge Achucarro as the second striker. He managed 8 goals in 31 games played, but he too was only with the team on loan, from Atlas of Mexico. The only reason that loan deal was made was that Achucarro was coming back from an injury, and Atlas sent him to Newell's to work his way back to full match fitness.

Facing the facts, Newell's got lucky finding these three players last season. Trying to replace them for the Apertura that just finished, the club brought in Sebastián Taborda, Luis Rodríguez, and Iván Borghello, none of whom has a record a being great goal scorers. Rodríguez, and Borghello had their moments during the Apertura, while Taborda has been anything but effective. Looking at their Apertura numbers, Borghello scored once in 18 matches, Rodríguez 3 in 12, and Taborda made it onto the field 10 times and I never saw him come close scoring.

Doubling the current threesomes numbers give them a total of 8 goals, compared to 30 from the trio they had last year. Is it any wonder that the club management is looking to land a forward that can actually score during the January transfer window?

But the problem remains, a team that cannot buy has to look for players they can bring in on loan. And most, if not all, the teams with players that fit the role of goal scorer are looking to sell.